Textile treating method



June 24, 1969 c u s 3,451,600

TEXTILE TREATING METHOD Filed Sept. 11, 1967 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR. George Alon Corruthers ATTORNEYS.

June 24, 1969 I G. A. CARRUTHERS 3,451,600

TEXTILE TREATING METHOD Filed Sept. 11, 1967 Sheet 2 o! 2 7/ l9 V r v INVENTOR.

George Alon Corruthers BY ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 223-76 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In an automated method of finishing greige goods, preferably made of thermoplastic yarns, greige goods are placed upon boarding forms mounted on a carriage. The carriage is automatically moved to a second position in front of an open autoclave. It then is inserted into the autoclave and the door of the autoclave is closed. The goods undergo dyeing and heat setting in the autoclave, subsequent to which the door is opened and the carriage is removed. The carriage then is passed into a drying chamber, after which the chamber is closed, and the stockings are dried therein. At least two carriages are in the drying chamber at a time. Each time a carriage is inserted into the drying chamber, another is ejected therefrom. Each time the autoclave door closes, the doors are closed on the dryer, so that drying proceeds simultaneously with the treatments in the autoclave. The goods remain in the dryer at least twice as long as they remain in the autoclave.

Cross references to related applications Reference is made to British patent application No. 53,065/66, filed Nov. 26, 1966, on the basis of which claim of priority is made under 35 U.S.C. 119.

Background of the invention This invention concerns a method for dyeing, heat setting and drying textile articles preferably made of thermoplastic synthetic yarn, wherein greige articles are placed on shaping forms mounted on carriages and passed through successive chambers in which the articles are first subjected to dyeing and heat setting treatments, whereby they are dyed and set to the shape of the forms, and then dried. The expression thermoplastic synthetic yarn includes spun yarn and plural filament yarn comprising thermoplastic material; and also includes a monofilament of thermoplastic material. The invention is particularly applicable to the dyeing and finishing of ladies stockings made of nylon or other thermoplastic'synthetic yarn. However, it is also applicable to the treatment of other textile articles which require dyeing and setting to shape, and even for non-thermoplastic materials, such as those requiring dyeing and drying without setting.

The apparatus used in the prior art is similar to that shown in U.S. Patent 3,162,031 issued Dec. 22, 1964 and U.S. Patent 3,131,840 issued May 5, 1964. These patents disclose textile treating apparatus for heat setting and finishing textile articles while mounted on shaping forms. Basic to the apparatus is the element of a plurality of shaping forms for the textile articles, which forms are mounted on movable carriages. The carriages are attached to a conveyor system which has a number of stations or stops where work is performed on the textile material. For example, at the first station the greige textile articles are loaded onto the forms on a carriage. The carriage is then moved to the second station, which may be a position in an autoclave or similar chamber, wherein the articles undergo heat setting, dyeing and drying treatments. Next, the carriage is removed from the autoclave Patented June 24, 1969 and moved to a station where the finished textile materials are removed from the forms. Such an apparatus is shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,131,840.

U.S. Patent No. 3,162,031 discloses a similar type of apparatus, wherein the stockings are heat set and dyed in an autoclave. After they leave the autoclave, they are placed temporarily on a storage rack, and then moved into a second chamber where they are dried.

Summary of the invention This invention provides a method of handling textile shaping forms mounted in groups on carriages, in which the carriages are traversed intermittently in a closed path through two successive heat treatment chambers, one of which is also a dyeing chamber, and through'a loading and unloading region exterior to said chambers; the intermittent travel providing a pause of each carriage in each chamber and in said region. This path may include a branch along which the carriages are moved into and out of one of the chambers, such as the dyeing chamber. This branch may be unidirectional in the sense that the carriages are moved to and fro along it.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved, simple and efficient, automated method for treating thermoplastic textile products, such as nylon stockings, which utilizes a minimum number of steps and which reduces the time required to produce the finished product.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the closed track system, the two chambers, and the various stations to which the carriages are successively moved;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carriage showing shaping forms for stockings mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the underneath of the carriage showing the position of the pads and wheels used to negotiate the track system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail showing the carriage positioning means in the track portion disposed on the inside of the door of the smaller chamber shown in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 5A through 5D diagrammatically illustrate the manner in which the carriages are shifted about the closed path shown in FIG. 1.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to FIG. 1, the two successive chambers are illustrated at 11 and 12; 11 being an autoclave or dyeing chamber; and '12 being a drying oven. The closed path is indicated by the track system, designated generally 13, having longitudinal portions 13a and 13b and cross portions 13c and 13d. The direction of movement is indicated by the arrows. In the apparatus shown there are six carriages designated by the Roman numerals I through VI, and shown in phantom lines in their initial positions on the track system.

Each carriage is similar to that shown in FIG. 2, designated 14, and carries a group of shaping forms designated 15. These forms are themselves well known in the art and each consists of a substantially fiat board-like member shaped to give a textile article disposed thereon its appropriate final shape. For example, in the case of ladies stockings, each form has the shape of a leg and foot of the stocking. The normal loading and unloading procedure does not entail removal of the boards from the carriage. Stockings are loaded and unloaded with the boards in place. However, it is within the scope of the invention to elfect loading by mounting on the carriages forms on which the greige articles have already been placed, and to effect unloading by removing from the carriages forms carrying the finished articles, which may thereafter be stripped from the forms. In the preferred arrangement, the forms are mounted vertically on the carriages, so that they stand upright therefrom in parallel vertical planes with a gap between successive forms on each carriage. The forms on each carriage preferably are hingedly mounted so that they open out like the leaves of a book, in order to permit the articles to be readily put on and stripped off of them. Any mounting may be provided as is well known in the art.

IReferring once again to FIG. I, the chamber -11 has a vertical door 16 horizontally movable on a suitable guide (not shown) by a power mechanism, such as a hydraulic jack 17, between the open position shown in FIG. 1, and a closed position more clearly shown in FIG. C, all as disclosed in US. Patents 3,131,840 and 3,162,031. In the closed position, door '16 hermetically seals the chamber 11.

The oven chamber 12 has a suitable sliding door 18 for closing its entrance and a folding or hinged door 19 for closing its exit. These doors are power operated.

The track system 13 on which the carriages 14 travel around the path, has a portion 20 which is mounted on the inside of door 16. In the open position of the door 16, track portion 20 is aligned with the adjacent portions 21 and 22 of the track system, on either side thereof. In this position, track portion 20 is capable of receiving a carriage from track portion 21 and discharging a carriage onto track portion 22. As the door 16 moves to its closed position, it carries into the chamber 11 track portion 20, and any carriage which is supported thereon.

As will be seen in FIG. 1, the track system 13 is in the form of a rectangular closed path. Thus, in travelling around this path, each carriage 14 has to be capable of moving at right angles to its prior direction of travel. For this reason, each carriage is provided with two pairs of spaced rollers 28 and two pairs of spaced slide pads 29 (see FIG. 3).

It will be noted that the track system is continuous and uninterrupted save for the portion 20, previously described, which moves into and out of the chamber 11. To pass a carriage across the gap 24 between the portion 21 and the portion 20 of the track, the slide pads 29 supporting the carriage slide along the horizontal slide bars 21:: until the rollers 28 at the leading end of the carriage engage the vertical rails 20a on the track portion 20. The same principle is used to move the carriage from track portion 20 to track portion 22, that is, the slide pads 29 support the carriage until the lead rollers 28 cross the gap between the portion 20 and the portion 22 and engage the vertical rails 22a.

The vertical rails 20:: of track portion 20 have depressions 20b in the upper surface thereof, as shown in FIG. 4. The rollers 28 of the carriage progress along the vertical rails 20a until they will drop into the depressions 20b which serve to accurately position the carriage in register with the chamber 11.

Each carriage is moved from one position to another on the track system by positioning means, such as hydraulic rams. In FIG. 1, rams 26a and 261) function to engage the carriages and position them along the longitudinal track portions 13a and 131)- respectively. Rams 26c and 26d function to engage the carriages and position them along the cross portions 130 and 13d respectively. The hydraulic rams are actuated by conventionally operated hydraulic cylinders (not shown), and engage the carriages at the base thereof by means of pushers designated 27.

When the carriages reach the ends of the respective longitudinal portions 13a and 13b of the track system, the longitudinal rams 26a and 26b respectively are disengaged and returned to their initial positions as shown in FIG. 1. Next, the carriages are moved along the cross portions 130 and 134 respectively in the direction of the arrows. For example, in moving the carriage III from its position shown in FIG. SE to its position shown in FIG. 5C, the hydraulic ram 260 engages the carriage and slides it on the pads 29 along the slide bars of portion of the track system. Note that the vertical rails do not extend over the full longitudinal portions of the track system. Thus referring to FIGS. 1, 5A and 5B, when the carriage III leaves the vertical rails 22a in FIG. 1 and is moved from its position in SA to its position in SE, it is supported on the pads 29 and not the rollers 28. It slides on the pads 29 along the slide bars of the track portion 22 until it comes to rest in the position shown in FIG. 5B. In this position the rollers 28 no longer engage the vertical rails 22a and therefore there is no interference with the rails when the carriage is moved to the position shown in FIG. 5C. The pushers are so constructed and arranged that, on the return of the respective rams, they are depressed to an inoperative position so as not to drag the carriages back.

The door 16 is interconnected with the doors 18 and 19 of the chamber 12, so that the three doors open and close simultaneously in conjunction with the movement of the carriages.

Referring to FIG. 5, six carriages are shown schematically in operative position in the apparatus. It is to be assumed that the door 16 has just been opened after a dyeing operation, and that the doors 18 and 19 of the chamber 12, which contains the carriages HI, IV, and V, are open. Carriage I has been loaded with goods to be treated. For covenience this may be considered the starting point of the cycle of operations.

In the next step, the hydraulic jacks are brought into operation to shift the carriages to the positions shown in FIG. 5B, that is, all the carriages are moved longitudinally along the tracks to their new stations. Thus, carriage I which has been loaded with a fresh supply of goods to be treated is now in register with the opening to the autoclave or chamber 11, so that in the next step it may be inserted into the autoclave for treatment. Carriage II, which had been in the autoclave 11, is now moved into the dryer 12. Carriages III and IV remain in the dryer 12. Carriage V is moved out of the dryer 12, and to a position where its goods may be removed from the forms. The hydraulic rams 26a and 2617 are then withdrawn to their original positions, as shown in FIG. 1. As soon as they reach the end of their travel, the rams 26c and 26d operate to move the carriage III to the position shown in FIG. 5C, and carriage VI to the position shown in FIG. 5C. Simultaneously, the doors 18 and 19 of the dryer and the door 16 of the autoclave are closed, and track section 20 with the carriage thereon is moved into the autoclave. At this point the processing in the autoclave and the dryer begins, and the rams 26c and 26d are withdrawn to their original positions. During this time interval, the finished goods are unloaded from carriage V and a new batch of greige goods is loaded on carriage VI.

After the goods in the autoclave 11 are dyed and heat set, the door 16 is opened, withdrawing the carriage I to the position shown in FIG. 5D. Simultaneously the doors 18 and 19 are opened. It will now be noted that the relative positions of the carriages are exactly the same as that shown in FIG. 5A; each carriage having advanced one step in the process. The cycle is now repeated.

The drying operation in chamber 12 is aifected by the circulation therethrough of heated air. The admission of the heated air is suspended while the doors 18 and 19 are open.

The various step by step operations, the duration of the pauses, and the timing and duration of the admission of the steam and the dye set to the chamber 11, are variable or adjustably controlled by a suitable timing and temperature control apparatus (not shown).

It will further be understood that the Abstract of the Disclosure set forth above is intended to provide a non-legal technical statement of the contents of the disclosure in compliance with the Rules of Practice of the United States Patent Ofiice, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention described and claimed herein.

What is claimed is:

1. In the method of heat-setting, dyeing and drying textile articles made of synthetic thermoplastic yarns capable of being heat-set to a predetermined shape, the steps which comprise:

(a) mounting said articles on forms conforming to said predetermined shape, said forms being mounted on a carriage,

(b) advancing said carriage along a closed substantially rectangular path to a first station and admitting the carriage into a treatment chamber at said station,

(c) dyeing and heat-setting the articles on the carriage in said treatment chamber,

((1) removing the carriage from the chamber,

(e) advancing the carriage to a second station in said closed path within a drying chamber,

(f) closing said drying chamber and subjecting the articles on the carriage to drying therein,

(g) advancing the carriage to at least one additional station in the closed path within the drying chamber and subjecting said articles to further drying in said chamber, whereby said articles are dried for a period at least twice as long as that during which the articles remained within the treatment chamber,

(h) opening the second chamber and ejecting the carriage from said chamber to a subsequent station in said closed path, and

(i) removing the articles from the florms on the carriage.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

(a) a plurality of carriages move along the closed path from station to station in successive relationship, and

(b) at least two carriages are disposed within the drying chamber concurrently with the disposal of a third carriage in the treatment chamber.

3. In the method of claim 1, the step of advancing the carriage into said first treatment chamber along a unidirectional path which extends outwardly from said substantially rectangular path.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein a plurality of carriages move along the closed path from station to station in successive relationship and at least three carriages are disposed within the drying chamber concurrently with the disposal of a fourth carriage in the treatment chamber.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein the steps of simultaneously sealing the treatment chamber and the drying chamber when said carriage has been admitted into the treatment chamber and simultaneously opening the drying chamber and the treatment chamber when said carriage is removed from the treatment chamber.

6. In the method of heat-setting, dyeing and drying textile articles made of synthetic thermoplastic yarns capable of being heat-set to a predetermined shape, the steps which comprise:

(a) mounting said articles on forms conforming to said predetermined shape, said forms being mounted on a carriage,

(b) rolling said carriage along a closed substantially rectangular path to a first station and admitting the carriage into a treatment chamber at said station,

(c) dyeing and heat-setting the articles on the carriage in said treatment chamber,

(d) removing the carriage from the chamber,

(e) rolling the carriage to a second station in said closed path within a drying chamber,

(f) closing said drying chamber and subjecting the articles on the carriage to drying therein,

(g) sliding the carriage to at least one additional station in the closed path within the drying chamber and subjecting said articles to further drying in said chamber, whereby said articles are dried for a period at least twice as long as that during which the articles remained within the treatment chamber,

(h) opening the second chamber and rolling the carriage from said chamber to a subsequent station in said closed path,

(i) removing the articles from the forms on the carriage, and

(j) sliding the carriage to a subsequent station for mounting similar articles and repeating the process.

7. In the method of dyeing and drying textile articles made of yarn, the steps which comprise:

(a) mounting said articles on forms, said forms being mounted on a carriage,

(b) advancing said carriage along a closed substantially rectangular path to a first station and admitting the carriage into a treatment chamber at said station,

(0) dyeing the articles on the carriage in said treatment chamber,

(d) removing the carriage from the chamber,

(e) advancing the carriage to a second station in said closed path Within a drying chamber,

(f) closing said drying chamber and subjecting the articles on the carriage to drying therein,

(g) advancing the carriage to at least one additional station in the closed path within the drying chamber and subjecting said articles to further drying in said chambers, whereby said articles are dried for a period at least twice as long as that during which the articles remained within the treatment chamber,

(h) opening the second chamber and ejecting the carriage from said chamber to a subsequent station in said closed path, and

(i) removing the articles from the forms on the carriage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,795,125 6/1957 Sessions 68-10 2,856,108 10/1958 Richter 22376 3,022,926 2/ 1962 Bailey 22376 3,131,840 5/1964 Berger et al. 22376 3,162,031 12/1964 Berger et a1. 22376 X 3,344,622 10/ 1967 Kronshein 6810 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

